IOA ‘reactivates’ National Olympic Academy
Calling it a major step towards strengthening the Olympic movement in India, the IOA on Monday announced the “formal reactivation” of a National Olympic Academy (NOA) in Ahmedabad with its President and sprint legend PT Usha leading the facility’s management. The IOA (Indian Olympic Association) also said that a National Olympic Education and Development Programme (NOEDP) will also be launched.
“The IOA General House unanimously approved President P T Usha as the President of the National Olympic Academy, and Shri Gagan Narang, Vice President of the IOA and Olympic medallist, as the Director of the National Olympic Academy,” the body stated in a press release.
India had a Bharat Centre of Olympic Research and Education (BCROE) at the Rashtriya Raksha University in Gandhinagar. While the NOA has existed since 2018, it’s operations were stalled due to various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic. “This National Olympic Academy has been there since 2018 but remained inactive due to reasons which include the pandemic. That’s why we are saying it’s a reactivation,” IOA CEO Raghuram Iyer told PTI.
The decisions were taken during the IOA (Indian Olympic Association) Executive Council meeting held on January 8 and were unanimously endorsed by the IOA General House at its Annual General Meeting on January 9. Both the meetings were held in Ahmedabad. “The initiatives reflect the IOA’s renewed focus on athlete-centric development, Olympic education, and institutional capacity building, aligned with global best practices,” the IOA stated.
“The National Olympic Education and Development Programme (NOEDP) has been conceived as a comprehensive national framework to deliver structured education and development programmes across the Olympic ecosystem,” it added. The programme will be implemented in collaboration with National Sports Federations (NSFs) and State Olympic Associations (SOAs) to ensure wide outreach and grassroots-to-elite impact.
Key focus areas of NOEDP include: Olympic values education and ethics, holistic athlete development, welfare, and career transition support, capacity building of coaches, officials, administrators, and support personnel, and Strengthening governance among others. “...Professionalism within sports bodies, and long-term athlete development models aligned with international standards” will also be a part of the module.
“As a cornerstone of this initiative, the National Olympic Academy (NOA) has been reactivated to function as the central institution for Olympic education, learning, research, and dialogue in India,” the IOA stated.
Beyond its academic and institutional role, the NOA will work closely and directly with athletes, supporting their educational needs, personal development, leadership skills, and understanding of the Olympic movement alongside their sporting careers. Under Usha and Narang, the National Olympic Academy will “collaborate” closely with the International Olympic Academy in Olympia, to “align India’s Olympic education programmes with the Olympic Charter and international best practices.”
This collaboration will facilitate exchange of knowledge, joint programmes, research initiatives, and participation in global Olympic education forums. “...The reactivation of the NOA mark an important milestone in creating a values-driven, athlete-focused, and future-ready Olympic ecosystem in India — one that integrates education, excellence, and ethical governance at every level,” the body stated.
